With the changes of the 2.40 code push, there are many things that have changed. But a lot of people still don't know these, and I'd like to point them out before you start thinking about stats in the same old Mordor way.

For STRENGTH and DEXTERITY there are NO MORE BONUS LEVELS!

There's not need to get your strength to 250, or your dexterity to 210. I know the old stating method was all about getting your char's strength or dexterity to X bonus level after Y levels. They're gone. Gone gone gone.

For example, +3 strength used to be between 210 to 249. That means if you had 210 strength vs 240 strength...you'd pretty much be the same. But now, 240 strength is 30 strength better than 210. Same goes for dexterity.

So what should I stat my characters with?

I can't comment on casting, since that's in progress. But I would suggest that if you're not a casting or hybrid class, you drop intelligence entirely. If you're a melee class, don't even think about putting lots of piety - you vig and tick off constitution.

For damage:

Fighter/Berserker/Bard/Werewolf/Vampire: Your damage is based off of strength. Maximize it.

Ranger/Thief/Assassin/Rogue/Monk: Your damage is equally based off strength and dexterity. Maximize BOTH stats. No more mid-dex dodgers. For one, your dodge will suck, and second, you'll hit a lot weaker.

Paladin/Deathknight: Your damage is equally based off strength and piety. Maximize BOTH stats. No more aiming paladins for 210 STR or 230 PIE - if you want to hit harder, MAX.

Cleric/Mage/Lich: Your damage is based off strength, but you don't have to maximize that stat. You won't hit nearly as hard as other classes do, and can mix your stats up a bit.


Does this mean every assassin should be kataran for the +2 DEX? No, because it won't help your damage that much more. While every point helps, it's very incremental: a difference of 1-2 is nothing. The difference comes in when you do things like aim an assassin for 170 dex instead of maxing it (they can get 250 dex). Now that would definitely make a difference.

Constitution, intelligence, and piety still go off of the old bonus system.

Once Bane gets 2.5 finished, we really need to update the help files on stats, and possible even put something in the tutorial about it.

Bards ought to be off of STR+DEX, not just STR. That needs to be fixed.

Ocelot wrote:

Bards ought to be off of STR+DEX, not just STR. That needs to be fixed.

I agree - But probably after 2.50 and bard songs revamp - right now they aren't that great of a class, and making them STR + DEX would be worse. :/

Ranged weapons have their damage based off dex right? So, in theory, I could maximize dex on a bard and leave str for the birds and still do better damage as well as getting a better dodge bonus?

That also seems like a good option for mages who would want good physical damage and a dodge.

Anyway, I like the change, as it will further diversify our characters power levels by stat choices. And is less punishing to someone who didn't understand or plan out as well their stat choices.

If we base their dmg off dex, we'd have to adjust that

Jacko wrote:

Ranged weapons have their damage based off dex right? So, in theory, I could maximize dex on a bard and leave str for the birds and still do better damage as well as getting a better dodge bonus? That also seems like a good option for mages who would want good physical damage and a dodge. Anyway, I like the change, as it will further diversify our characters power levels by stat choices. And is less punishing to someone who didn't understand or plan out as well their stat choices.

Dexterity on a mage would be a horrible idea. Dodge is dex based for all classes, but it is modified by class type. So a mage with high dex is still not going to dodge very well. As for bows, there are strength-based bows and dexterity-based bows. Only the builder/DMs who made the bow will know for sure what type it is. Furthermore, for most classes, a large part of your damage will come from your stats (STR or STR+DEX or STR+PIE) and your level. A mage will not hit hard in any case, and since DEX doesn't contribute to how hard they hit, it's a total waste.

Mages should go with intelligence and piety. Intelligence is obvious. Piety is also nice to have lots of - for every piety bonus level you are, your MP tick time is shorter. You can then choose either strength or constitution. Constitution will give you 5 HP per level instead of 4 HP. Putting the points into strength instead will allow you to hit about 6 dmg harder unabsorbed - depending on the level of the mob, that amount will be smaller.